Comfortably Beautiful

I have a body... acouple times a week I use this body, that God has given me, to do yoga . I have been taking yoga lessons for a while, last night while I was there something felt different. I was studying the other women who where stretching along with me, some of them were three times my age. I just watched them for a moment considering how much easier it was for me to do it, how our bodies just change over the years. Then I wondered how those women felt about being older. No really, they were once young too. Could I handle wrinkles, grays, and age spots on my hands? How are they comfortable with that? I AM comfortable with the way I am now, does that mean I’ll be comfortable when I’m +50?
As I watched these women I found that is wasn’t the grays coming through their hair that I noticed rather the way they were working on what they were doing, concentrating, using their bodies all for a purpose: doing yoga. We all are capable of doing so much with ourselves. Maybe it really isn’t about trying to be comfortable with our aging bodies but rather how we choose to use them that makes us comfortable. If I choose to use my body for nothing more than fulfilling all my crazy desires, how much would my idea of beauty and self worth change in 30 years? If I choose to use my body to share the Joy that God has given me, how much then would my idea of beauty and self worth change 30 years? Where is my purpose for my body going to get me?
The people I really truly see as beautiful are the people who are really truly comfortable with who they are. The people who have found their purpose in the One who made them. Beauty to me is a spirit, it is love when pure, joy when circumstances are depressing, a smile when in doubt, compassion when hate reigns, forgiveness when it is not deserved, strength when fear is overpowering, peace when it’s storming, a hug when there is no reason, giving when we ourselves are in need. What do you see beauty as? Who do you consider to be beautiful?
So maybe being comfortable with our bodies is really just knowing what they were meant for.
The women in my yoga lesson may or may not know what there life purpose is. But I do think that in their momentary success of overcoming the next pose, doing what they set out to do, concentrating, trying their best… In this they looked comfortable with their bodies, they- looked- beautiful.